Ridgefield Dog Case Defendant in Court Friday

by John Pirro, Staff Writer
newstimes.com

June 10, 2010

DANBURY — Guy Marchison, the Ridgefield man who was injured when his puppy was attacked by two German shepherds in April, has hired a lawyer to represent him as the criminal case against the dogs’ owner proceeds through court.

J. Craig Smith, an attorney with the Bridgeport law firm of Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder, said Thursday he will monitor the case against Robert Kahn, 51, of Bantam, and will handle any potential lawsuit arising from the attack.

Smith said he will advise Marchison if authorities need him to make any further statements to prosecute Kahn, “and, if there is something we can do for him civilly down the road, we will.”

Kahn, who has already pleaded not guilty to a criminal charge of second-degree reckless endangerment and three infractions, is scheduled to appear Friday at state Superior Court in Danbury.

He is represented by Greenwich attorney Mickey Sherman, one of the state’s most prominent defense lawyers. Several attempts to contact Sherman on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Kahn was arrested by Ridgefield police last month as the result of the incident, which occurred at the town’s recreation center in April. Two dogs owned by Kahn allegedly mauled Marchison’s golden retriever puppy, Star, and bit and scratched Marchison after he picked up the puppy to protect it.

Kahn left the park with his two dogs without checking on Marchison or his puppy, police said.

Police also said they were contacted by Southbury Animal Control Officer Marilyn Muratori, who told them Kahn’s dogs had been involved in several previous cases in which animals were attacked. Muratori couldn’t be reached, but Smith said he is aware of the prior incidents.

“That’s part of what we’re investigating,” Smith said. “He’s had some issues with his dogs before, and we want to know if this is some kind of pattern. A person needs to be responsible for his animals.”